


Right Here

by Silvaimagery



Category: District 9 (2009)
Genre: AU, Alien Biology, Alien Planet, Angst, Death, Depression, Drama, F/M, Family, Love, M/M, Mpreg, Mutation, Pining, Segregation, Sex, Transformation, Xenophobia, alien customs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-11 04:30:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4421432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silvaimagery/pseuds/Silvaimagery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Perhaps it had all been fate.  Perhaps this was his opportunity to right the wrongs he had caused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to try my hand at some District 9 fan fiction.

I had never been the smartest, the fastest, or the strongest.

I’d always been a pushover, too sensitive and too meek.

Too afraid to speak up and stand up for myself.

I did not know what Tania saw in me and I’d always been afraid to ask.

Not that it mattered anymore.

Her father wanted me dead.

If I wanted to live long enough to find a cure then it would be best to stay away from her.

It would be close to impossible to resist having contact with her but I was doing this for the both of us.

I know Piet wouldn’t be above using her in order to find me.

I stare at the mobile I had stolen and I force myself to put it away.

I close my eyes.

Why did I have to be so stupid?

I could be home right now with my wife, everything could be normal.

I wipe my tears away.

I had to fix this.

I curl up under the piece of cardboard.

My body hurt.

I stare up at the ceiling before closing my eyes.

I take a deep breath and relax my body.

I wake with a start, the daylight creeping in through the broken windows and it takes me a moment to remember where I am.

My stomach grumbles loudly and I look around the shack for food.

Anything would be better than nothing.

I find a bit of cat food and I devour it.

It wasn’t enough.

I make my way to the ‘market’ to purchase food with the money I had stolen from the fast food place.

The raw meat smelled and looked so enticing but it is the cans I see lined up behind the butcher that make me salivate.

“Is that cat food?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“I’ll have some of that.”

I place the cans in the plastic bag where I carried the medical gown I had been given at the MNU lab.

I make my way to the cliff where I can stare down at the city.

I eat cat food, swallowing down large chunks before I even realize what I’m doing. 

I throw the can away in disgust as I spit out the meat I still had in my mouth.

I sit there sniveling and crying while a few prawns fight over the can of food I had thrown away.

I take out the mobile and I dial the number.

“Hello?”

My breath catches in my throat.

“Tania? Tania, is that you?”

I can hear her crying.

“Yes.”

I close my eyes.

“Tania, listen to me. Whatever they are saying about me, you can’t believe it okay? I’m going to fix my arm and I’m going to come home and everything will go back to the way it was. But you can’t believe the lies. Your father-”

“Wikus. I can’t….”

“Tania?”

“Is it true?”

“I did not have sex with-”

“No. Not that. Is it true that you are becoming like them?”

“Yes.”

She starts to sob.

“Tania, baby. Look-”

“I’m sorry, Wikus. I can’t do this.”

“No, no. Please don’t leave me. I can fix this.”

“How?”

“I’ll find a way. Just please don’t give up on me. I love you.”

“I love you too, Wikus.”

I press my fist to my mouth to stop myself from sobbing.

“You don’t know how good it makes me feel to hear you say that.”

She sighs and sniffles.

“Tania?”

“But we both know there isn’t a cure. My father would have told me.”

“Tania. He isn’t trying to find a cure. They were going to tear me to fookin pieces!”

“I don’t want you to call me again.”

“Tania.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.”

“Good bye Wikus.”

“Tania!”

She hangs up.

“Fook!”

I dial the number again but she doesn’t answer.

I drop the mobile as I start sobbing.

She was the only person in the world I had ever loved and I’d lost her.

I raise my head as I hear helicopters.

I grab the mobile and my bag and I stumble down the hill.

I run into the nearest shack.

My heart was beating very fast and I felt faint with hunger and loss of blood.

I peer out the window as the helicopters pass overhead.

I close my eyes.

“You.”

I whirl around.

The prawn advances on me.

“Get out.”

I raise my hands.

“Please. You have to help me. They’re trying to kill me.”

I look at the little prawn staring at me from under the table.

“I’m begging you, man. Help me.”

“Why should I?”

“I remember you. Christopher? That’s your name isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Christopher, something’s happened. I need your help. Please.”

The room tilts and I close my eyes.

“You must go, I do not want any trouble.”

My knees buckle and I grab his arms.

“Please.” I whisper before I fall.

*****************************

I groan.

Everything hurt.

“Sweetie man?”

I blink my eyes open.

Grey walls greet me.

I sit up.

“Where is it?”

I look at the prawn, Christopher, looming over me.

I scoot back until my back hits the wall.

“What?”

“The cylinder you took. Where is it?”

“I don’t know what-”

“I can see what’s happening to you.”

I look down at my left arm.

“The black fluid?” I ask.

“Yes. Where is it?”

“I confiscated it.” I close my eyes trying to remember.

My thoughts and my memories are all jumbled.

It was hard to concentrate.

“Yes?”

A flash of a plastic bag held in gloved hands.

I look at Christopher.

“MNU. MNU has it.”

He growls and stomps away.

I look around.

The little prawn hurries to my side.

“Sweetie man.”

“Hello.”

I look back at Christopher.

“Where are we?”

“The fuel goes in here and then we fly up.” The little prawn tells me. “Then we can go home.”

“What?”

“Quiet.” Christopher tells his son. “We can’t trust him.”

“Is this….he says that you’re going to use this to go home.”

“It doesn’t matter now. You ruined everything.”

“You’re not allowed to leave.”

“And now we won’t. It doesn’t work without the fluid.”

“But-”

“It’s a shame. I could have fixed you.”

“What?”

I stand on shaky legs.

Hope blossoms in my chest.

“You can fix me?”

“We have machines aboard the mother ship. They could reverse the process of your transformation.”

“That’s great!”

He turns to look at me.

“We don’t have the fuel.”

“We can make more.”

“It took twenty years to make that amount.”

“Fook man! Fook!”

“Sweetie man?”

“We could get it back.” He says.

I look at Christopher.

“How?”

“We can go to MNU.”

“Or we could just blow ourselves up right now and save them the trouble. It’s a suicide mission!”

I sit back down.

Why did I always fook everything up?

A small hand touches my deformed arm and I jump.

I look down at the little prawn.

“We’re the same.” He says measuring his arm against mine.

He stares up at me with a child’s wonder.

My eyes burn with tears and I can’t believe it’s those innocent words that do me in.

I start sobbing loudly and no matter how much I try to contain it, the tears won’t stop.

I’m probably freaking Christopher and his kid out.

“Here.”

I open my eyes.

Christopher is kneeling in front of me.

He places a cup in my right hand.

“Drink.”

I lift the cup to my lips with a shaky hand.

The cool water soothes my throat.

“T-thank you.”

I hand back the cup.

I wipe my eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“There is nothing we can do now.”

“All these years I’ve made myself believe that I was doing the right thing.” I look at him. “I deserve what’s happened to me for treating your people the way I did. For killing all those unborn prawns. But I am not taking you down with me. I will find a way to help you and your people go home. I swear.”


	2. Chapter 2

I try to sleep but I can’t.

I was afraid to wake up and find that I had completely changed overnight.

I get up and grabbing my things, I make my way to Christopher’s shack.

The door was opened so I stand at the doorway.

“I want to go home.” The kid says.

I look at the brochure held between Christopher’s fingers.

“You don’t want to go there.”

He looks at me.

“It’s more of a concentration camp.”

I shuffle further into the room.

“How long is it going to take?” I ask.

He cocks his head.

“For the change to be complete.”

He looks at my shirt which is soaked with blood from my left arm all the way to my back.

“The change is accelerated. You don’t have much time.”

I perch myself on the arm of the chair he has by the door.

“If I can help you get into MNU and retrieve the fluid, do you think you can fix me?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I looked like you?”

He stares at me for a long moment.

“It might take longer but yes.”

The kid reclines against my leg.

I stare down at him in surprise.

“He likes you.” Christopher says.

I hesitate before touching the top of the kids head with my deformed hand.

He leans into my touch.

“What’s your name? I’m Wikus.”

“Oliver.” He chirps.

“Hello Oliver.”

“You said it was a suicide mission.”

I look at Christopher.

“Yes. But it’s the only way of getting back the fluid.”

“We don’t have any weapons.”

“I know where we can find some.”

“Where?”

“The Nigerian-”

“No.”

“Christopher. We don’t have any other choice, man. They have the weapons we need.”

“They will kill you.”

“So will MNU. It’s a risk we have to take. Look. I have some money. We can use that.”

“They don’t want your money. They will cut you up and eat you.”

I shiver and I wrap my arms around my middle.

Oliver climbs onto my lap and I steady him.

A day ago I would have shoved him off of me.

Actually, a day and a half ago I had called him a rat.

He lays his head against my chest and I feel a pang of guilt.

He was a child and for some reason he liked me. He trusted me.

I couldn’t let him down.

I rub my tired eyes.

“Have you eaten?” I ask.

Christopher doesn’t answer.

“Right.”

I reach down into my bag.

Oliver perks up in interest.

I hand Christopher a can of tuna.

He stares at it before looking at me.

“Go on. Take it.”

“Why?”

“You’re going to need your strength. We both are.”

He takes it.

I take out another can and I hand it to Oliver.

He cradles it to his chest.

“Thank you.” He says.

“You’re welcome.”

Christopher opens Oliver’s can before opening his own.

I open my own can of food.

We eat in silence.

“In the morning I will go.” I say.

“I will go with you.”

“No. If we both go then there is a chance that only one of us will make it out of there alive. I will get the weapons and I will come straight back here. I will get us into MNU, Christopher, I swear.”

He nods.

“What about Oliver?” I ask.

Oliver looks at us.

“He will hide in the command module and wait for us to return.”

“Do you think it’s safe for him to stay here all alone?”

“He is smart. He will be fine.”

“I can do it.” Oliver says.

“Alright then. We have a plan.”

I don’t eat much.

I feel worried and scared.

I give my uneaten portion to Oliver who shares it with his father.

“You need to rest.” Christopher tells me.

“I know. I’m just scared of falling asleep.”

“The change will happen, Wikus. It doesn’t matter if you are asleep or awake.”

I nod.

“Can I….can I stay here for tonight?”

“You can.”

“Thank you.”

*******************************

I wake up in the middle of the night.

Oliver is resting against my side, his little arm on my chest.

Christopher is behind his son but his head is touching mine, I can feel his antennas in my hair.

I stare at the dark ceiling.

I missed Tania and I really hoped she was alright.

I close my eyes and I sigh.

I wanted all of this to be over.

I just wanted to live my life without fear.

Christopher shifts and he reaches out to pull me closer.

Oliver makes a noise of contentment as he is pressed deeper against my side.

Tomorrow would decide our fates.

*****************************

I fall as I am hit from behind.

I crawl forward, my deformed hand falling on the alien weapon.

It turns on.

I stand and turn the weapon on my attackers.

I wanted to kill Obesandjo so badly, but now was not the time.

We had to get to MNU first.

I order the thug to put weapons in the bag along with some cat food.

I didn’t know how well the command module was stocked but a little more food couldn’t hurt.

It felt nice having power.

I enjoyed watching the Nigerian gang members cower.

I take the bag full of weapons, protective gear and the cat food and I hurry to Christopher’s shack.

The gang might retaliate but hopefully by then we would be at MNU and Oliver would be safe in the module.

I enter the shack quickly and I close the door behind myself.

I place the bag on the floor.

Oliver hurries over to check the contents.

“Careful.” I tell him.

Christopher looks at me with a critical eye.

“I’m fine. I got the weapons.”

“Good. Oliver.”

Oliver looks at his father.

“If we are not back by nighttime, you must go to Peter’s house. He will look after you.”

“Yes Father.”

“Take this with you.” 

I place the twenty cans of food in my plastic bag before handing it over.

Oliver drags it down into the command module with him.

“Take care Sweetie Man.” He says before closing the door.

“You ready?” I ask.

“Yes. You?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

We make our way out of District 9 and into the city.

We made sure to stay out of sight for the most part.

I knew we’d have to blast our way in so I lead Christopher towards the back where the emergency stairs would be located.

There were fewer guards and it would be the quickest way to get down to the lab.

Christopher takes care of the guards while I blast a hole into the building.

We hurry in, we only had a limited amount of time.

I lead him down to the lab.

It was a good thing MNU wasn’t big on network security, otherwise there was no way I would have been able to get us into the lab.

I enter the codes and the doors open.

“We don’t want to kill the humans.” I instruct.

“Alright.”

The doors open and I am thrown back against the wall as the bullets hit my chest.

I fire the weapon, the human exploding like a ripe melon.

I unzip the vest and check myself to make sure none of the bullets passed through the protective gear.

“I thought you said not to kill them?”

I look at Christopher.

“He shot me!”

We go into the lab and we start to search for the canister.

“It has to be somewhere around here. You look over there.”

“I don’t see anything.”

It had to be here.

I move over to the case and relief floods me as I spot the canister.

“I got it!”

I break the glass and I grab the canister.

I turn to look at Christopher but he is standing before a dead prawn.

“Christopher?”

He doesn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were doing this to your people. But we got what we were looking for now. We have to go.”

He doesn’t move.

“Christopher?”

Shots ring out and I dive for cover.

“What are you doing? Cover yourself!” I shout before firing back at the soldiers. “Christopher!”

He snaps out of whatever trance he was in and he hurries to my side.

“What the fook, man?”

“We have to get out!”

“I know that!”

I shoot some more.

“How are we getting out?”

“I don’t have a plan for that.”

“How can you not have an escape plan?”

“I told you I’d get us in, we’re in!”

“Fine. Follow me.”

He stands and runs across the room.

“What the fook are you doing?”

“A bomb.”

I follow providing cover fire.

Another soldier explodes.

“Come on.”

He grabs my sleeve and leads me out the way we came.

I hurry after him.

He throws the bomb and he pushed me down as we take cover.

We are up and running as soon as the wall explodes.

We get into one of the MNU vehicles and I drive us back to District 9.

“Faster.” Christopher says.

I drive us as close as I can get us to his shack.

I park haphazardly and we jump out of the truck.

MNU would be upon us in seconds.

We make it back to the shack.

“Oliver!”

Oliver opens the door to the command module.

“Take this.” Christopher hands over the canister. “Begin the startup sequence.”

I can hear the MNU forces coming towards us.

I look at Christopher.

“You have to go.”

“What?”

“You have to go. I will draw them off. Take your boy and go home.”

“Wikus.”

“Go! There isn’t much time.”

“But-”

“Obesandjo has a battle suit. I will fight off the MNU guys and ensure you get up to the ship safely.”

“I will come back for you.”

My eyes sting with tears.

“Go! Go now before I change my mind, man!”

He presses his forehead to mine before releasing me.

I watch him disappear down into the command module, the door closing behind him.

I grab the weapon I still carried and I make my way outside.

I run away from the shack as fast as I can.

I hear the command module take flight but I don’t turn around.

I make my way to the Nigerian gang sector with the soldiers in hot pursuit.


	3. Chapter 3

It was easier than I thought to get into the gang sector.

The battle suit has already killed the humans in the vicinity.

It opens as I approach and I get it.

The suit closes and pinpoints the location of the humans and the type of weapons at my disposal.

The sound of the mother ship as it powers up is deafening.

I hear Koobus order the command module to be shot down.

I hurry out and run toward the location of the missile gun.

I make it just in time.

I grab the missile and I throw it back at the soldier.

The gun and the other missiles explode.

I shoot down every soldier I can find but I am hit.

I fight to keep the battle suit operational.

Koobus was still alive and I had to kill him if I wanted a chance at surviving.

Bullets rain down upon me and the suit is slower to respond.

I fall to my knees as a missile explodes against the back of the suit.

It hurts.

I manage to kill the soldier who shot me before the suit powers off and spits me out.

I fall into the dirt and my body hurts so much.

I can barely even lift my head.

I stare up at the mother ship and I see the command module make dock.

“Go. Go.” I whisper.

Tears well up in my eyes.

A shadow falls over me and I look into Koobus’ smiling face.

I flip myself onto my stomach and I try to drag myself away but my arms tremble and they feel so weak.

“Hey Dickus, where are you going eh?”

I turn back to look at Koobus.

He kicks me onto my back.

“Please don’t kill me.”

He kneels down beside me, the pistol in his hand.

I raise my hands to shield my face.

He presses the pistol to my side.

I clench my eyes closed.

“You half breed piece of shit. I would have enjoyed watching those med guys cut you up but I’m just going to kill you myself.” He chuckles.

My body stars shaking.

Suddenly the press of the gun leaves me and I look at him.

He’s standing, his gun up and ready.

His attention isn’t on me.

I look behind me.

A prawn steps forward.

“Stay back, you fucker.” Koobus tells the red and black prawn.

Prawns surround us.

The red prawn looks down at me before focusing on Koobus again.

Koobus shoots a blue prawn that steps too close but the blue prawn does not go down.

The exoskeleton provides them with a shield from the bullets.

The red and black one signals for the prawns to move and it is an orange and black one that darts forward and grabs Koobus’s head before tearing it off.

I cry out in surprise.

A yellow one joins the fray as the prawns tear Koobus to pieces.

I watch them devour Koobus before I focus back on the ship.

The prawns stop eating and they stand to watch the ship lifts and becomes smaller in the sky until it disappears from view.

I start crying.

“Are you alright?”

I look up at the red prawn.

“I-I think so.”

He holds out a hand.

I look at it before looking back at him.

He nods.

I take his hand and he helps me up.

“T-thank you.”

“We owe you for what you did.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“We will go home soon thanks to you.”

“How long…how long do you think it will take Christopher to come back?”

“Three year if he travels fast.”

Three years.

Three fookin years.

I wipe my eyes.

He pats my back and I wince.

“Sorry.”

“No. No. It’s fine.”

“Come on.” He says turning away.

The other three prawns that ate Koobus walk on ahead.

“Where are we going?”

“Back to my place.”

“Why?”

“Do you have somewhere safe to sleep?”

“No.”

“Then come on.”

I follow him back to his shack.

It had an old sofa and a small table.

The other prawns stand around, only the blue one is sitting on the old sofa.

“You will stay here with me.”

“Thanks but I think I’ll be fine on my own.”

“No.”

He kneels in front of the blue prawn and they start talking too fast for me to follow.

I look at the other two.

They stare back at me.

I lower my gaze.

“That is Daniel, he is a royal guard.” The red prawn says.

The orange prawn inclines his head.

“H-hello.”

“The other is Toby. He was a scholar.”

Scholar.

“I’m Wikus.”

“And this one here is Alex.”

I look at the blue prawn.

“He was a farmer.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. He harvested food for the hive back home.”

“What kind of plants do you have back home?”

“Not many. Our diet consists mostly of meat but we do have some fruits.” Alex says.

“Ah.”

The red prawn finishes inspecting Alex’s shoulder where the bullet grazed him and he stands.

“I am Peter. Take off the shirt.”

“What?”

He grabs a box and sets it on the table.

I can see bandages and gauze and other first aid kit supplies mixed in with vials that had alien markings on them.

“Take off the shirt. I want to take a good look at you.”

“Why?”

“I was a doctor on my planet. I have never seen an outsider change and turn into one of us but I will do what I can.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“I already told you why.”

“But I worked for MNU.”

“I know. But Christopher trusted you and if he saw something in you then I suppose you’re not all that bad. Take off your shirt.”

It hurt to take off the article of clothing.

My skin was too tight.

He is silent as he takes a look at my arm and my back.

I can feel the other prawns looking at me.

“How long before I look completely like you?”

Peter looks down at me.

“Three weeks, maybe less.”

Tears sting my eyes.

If Christopher returned and by the time he did return, I would be a prawn.

Indistinguishable from the others.

Would I still remember the life I had before my change?

“Do not cry. It is not that bad.”

I snort.

“I know exactly how bad it is to be a prawn around here.”

“Poleepkwan.” Toby says.

I look at him.

“What?”

“It is what we are. Poleepkwan, not ‘prawns’.” 

I nod.

“Go and get some rest.” Peter orders.

The prawns, Poleepkwan’s, file out.

“Drink.”

I take the cup Peter hands me.

“What is it?”

“For the pain.”

I sniff it but it doesn’t smell like anything.

I gulp it down.

My insides tingle and the pain fades away.

“Thank you.”

He inclines his head.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Have a seat.”

I sit on the sofa and I take the bowl he hands me.

I devour the pieces of meat.

“How did you become like this?” He asks me.

“I sprayed myself in the face with the fuel for the command module.”

“You should have come to me sooner. I would have helped to make the process less painful.”

“I didn’t know there was a doctor here.”

“Yes. MNU thinks of us as mindless creatures.”

We sit in silence for a moment.

“Why did your people come here, Peter?”

“We did not do it on purpose. Something when wrong, the computer stopped responding. Christopher tried to fix it but we had come too close to the gravitational pull of your planet. We were pulled down and we were unable to stop it. Christopher was sure he could fix the problem but he needed time and we ran out of food. The younger ones and some of the old ones died first. By the time your people came, hundreds of them had died and we had been forced to eat them to ensure we survived.”

“Oh god.”

“We did not know what to expect when the humans boarded our ship. We thought they would help us fix the problem and we would be on our way in a few days. But the humans did not have the technology or the competence to help. Christopher sent down the command module once we were certain that we would be taken off the mother ship. We never thought it would take so long for the mother ship to work again. Many have forgotten what our planet looks like. I think they purposely forgot. No use wishing for something you can’t have and the young ones born here call this planet home.”

“I’m sorry for all the suffering my people has brought to yours.”

“Thank you.”


	4. Chapter 4

Year One

I still remembered Tania.

The color of her eyes, the sound of her laughter and her golden hair.

Sometimes she felt like a dream.

Like she had never existed, as if the life I had with her had never been real.

I made her flowers in the beginning to let her know I was still here.

But as the days and the months passed, the will to keep in touch with her faded.

It was not fair to keep her tied to me, suffering in vain. 

I did not know if she even still thought of me.

She was married now.

Probably to a man Piet approved of whole heartedly.

I still ached for her but she was no longer mine to claim.

She would never love me like this.

Besides, I had more important things to think of now.

My eyes were glued to the sky and my mind was occupied with thoughts of Christopher and Oliver.

How far away from their home where they now?

Peter drew me a map as best as he could and every month he drew in a circle for the location of the ship.

From what I understood, it would take Chris about a year and a half to get home.

If the leader approved the rescue mission, it might take a month for preparations to be made.

Then it would be another year and half to reach Earth.

Three years seemed like an eternity when it was all laid out in paper.

I kept a wall chart where I marked off the days.

To Chris and Oliver it would only seem like months but to us it would be years.

I cover myself and I roll over on my bed roll.

Even though I was now a Poleepkwan, I still needed the comfort of clothing and blankets.

“Are you getting up today?” Peter asks entering my tent.

“For what?”

“The eggs will hatch soon.”

I close my eyes.

Since we had been relocated to District 10, we no longer needed the approval of MNU to procreate so any Poleepkwan could lay their eggs without fear of having them destroyed.

I helped Peter when he needed assistance looking after our people.

By helping him I learned more about my new biology and it felt good to help, to redeem myself in the eyes of the Poleepkwan’s.

Some days it was hard to be excited about anything, even the upcoming birth of the new hatchlings.

And it was not because I was no longer human but because I missed Christopher and Oliver.

I had not known them for long but I still yearned to have them beside me again.

“Are you thinking about your wife again?”

I curl my hand around my wedding ring which I carried tied around my neck.

“No. She’s not my wife anymore.”

“But you still love her.”

“Yes.”

“If it is not the human woman, then what has you so emotional?”

“Do you think I will have the urge to lay an egg one day?”

“You might. There are plenty of us now, you might not have the urge to help repopulate. But there might come a time when you feel like having an egg of your own. Perhaps with a mate, if you ever have one.”

Mate.

“I aborted a lot of eggs. I killed a lot of hatchlings.”

“I know.”

“Why don’t you hate me? Why are the other’s so nice to me?”

“You are not that creature anymore, Wikus. You are one of us now, you are a part of the hive. We will look after you until Christopher returns.”

I sit up and look at him.

“Do you really think he will come back?”

“Yes, I do. Now come on. Get up. I need you to help me examine the eggs.”

I force myself to my feet and I follow Peter out of the tent.

*******************************

“You said Daniel was a royal guard.”

Peter looks at me.

“I did.”

“Why was he with you on the ship? Shouldn’t he have stayed back home to protect the leader?”

“He was sent to protect Christopher.”

“Why?”

“He is an invaluable member of our hive and he is the leader’s son.”

I drop the piece of meat I had been holding.

It plops back into my bowl.

“Christopher is……”

All this time MNU had been under the false assumption that there was no leader to guide the ‘prawns’.

“Yes. I am sure Ch’Korir will be glad to meet his grandson.”

“Ch’Korir?”

“The leader.”

“He probably thought his son was dead. It’s been twenty years.”

“To us here, yes. But to them it would not have been as long.”

“Still long enough and with no communication. I am sure the Poleepkwan’s back home thought the worst.”

“Hmm.”

“Do you have a family?”

“I do.”

“Your mate?”

“Yes and two hatchlings. Well, they were hatchlings when I left.”

“I am sure they will be glad to have you home.”

“It’s the reason why I fought to survive. Had I not had the will to see them again I am sure I would have died a while ago.”

I nod.

“Wikus.”

I look at Peter.

“He is coming back for you. You have to believe that.”

“Would I be welcomed on your planet?”

“You are one of us now and you helped Christopher get home. I am sure Ch’Korir will welcome you with open arms.”

“I hope you are right.”

*****************************

Christopher POV

My son hangs on tightly to my hand.

Our people stare as if not sure if they believe what they are seeing.

“Krihm!”

“Father.”

His arms wrap around me and I sag in relief.

We were home.

He pulls back.

“I was afraid…..I knew you would find a way to come back to me.”

“It took longer than I thought but we have come home.”

“We?”

“This is Korim, my son.”

My father kneels before Korim.

I touch my sons’ head.

“I have a grandchild.”

“Father.”

He stands, Korim in his arms.

“We have to go back.”

“Go back?”

“The others are still on that planet. We must initiate a rescue mission, their lives are in danger.”

“Come. We will speak more.”

I follow my father further into the hive and into his home.

Food and drink is brought and we sit at the table.

Korim eats enthusiastically and my father watches him with amusement before his gaze sets on me.

“Tell me what happened.”

I tell him about the malfunction, about the humans and about the conditions our people were forced to live in.

His face is pinched with anger and worry by the time I have finished my tale.

“Father. There were more than a million of our people back there when I left.”

“A million?”

“Hatchlings have been born on that planet.” 

I touch Korim’s back.

“The sweetie man is waiting for us.” Korim says.

I shush him.

“Sweetie man?” My father asks.

“Wikus.”

“Who is Wikus?”

I glance down at Korim and he looks back at me.

I look at my father.

“He is my mate. He helped me fix the command module and he risked his life to ensure that Korim and I left the planet unharmed. I promised I would come back.”

My father stares at me.

“I assume he is one of the hatchlings born on that planet?”

“No. He is…human.”

My father stands from the table.

“A human! A human will not be a part of this hive! I will not allow it.”

“He is no longer human, at least not physically.”

“What?”

“He came in contact with the fuel. When I left he had already started to change. I am sure that by now he is Poleepkwan.”

“You trust this Wikus?”

“With my life and with that of my sons.”

He turns away.

I stand.

“Father. He is my mate and I gave him my word that I would return.”

“And I am to accept your decision then?”

“I ask that you allow me to return and save our people.”

He turns to look at me.

“Gather the supplies and the guards that you need in order to bring our people home.”

I incline my head.

“Krihm.”

“Father?”

“What if Wikus does not wish to be Poleepkwan?”

“I will accept his decision. I cannot force him to be that which he does not desire.”

He comes forward and lays a hand on my shoulder.

“I hope he will choose to be one of us. If he is as brave and as selfless as you have described him, then I know he will be a good mate to you and good parent to Korim.”

“So do I.”

“Rest first and then make your preparations. I need you to be well rested and in good health before you depart.”

“Yes father.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Do you….do you think they arrived home safe and sound?”

“Yes, I do.”

I sigh.

“You miss them.”

I look at Peter.

“More than anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yes. I just want to see them and touch them, make sure that they are safe.”

“You will. Just be patient a little longer.”

“I don’t know that I can. I have to be with them Peter, it’s all that I want.”

“I am sure Christopher will be happy to hear that.”

“Do you think they are already on their way here?”

“I have no doubt. I am sure he is as eager to be reunited with you as you are to be with him.”

“I doubt that.”

“Christopher is a man of his word. He will come back for you.”

It filled me with happiness to hear him say that but at the same time, there was doubt creeping into my heart.

The closer it got to the three year mark, the more fear I began to feel.

I turn away.

“Wikus?”

“I am afraid that he has remembered the man I used to be. That his hate for what my kind has done to his people will make him leave me behind alone to suffer for my actions.” I say quietly. 

He lays a hand on my shoulder.

“Wikus. Christopher will remember what you sacrificed in order to ensure that he and his son got home. He will remember that you are now a part of this hive, that you are no longer that man.”

“I want to believe that with all my heart.”

“It is the truth, my friend.”

****************************

I chase after the hatchlings.

They laugh and run faster.

“I’m going to get you.”

I snatch the youngest one first.

He clicks loudly.

I spent the majority of my time playing with the hatchlings, keeping them company.

They reminded me of Oliver.

I bet he would have enjoyed playing with these kids.

I remember seeing him sitting alone outside of his shack playing with an empty plastic jug.

I had made the kids toys from scraps of metal and wood.

I’d made some for Oliver too.

Hopefully he still played with toys.

From what I had learned, Poleepkwan children ages slowly since their race lived longer.

I set the youngster on my shoulders and he grabs my antennas as I chase after the other hatchlings.

“Wikus!”

I turn to look at Toby.

He comes up to me.

“Peter is looking for you.”

“Alright. Sorry kids, play time is over.”

A chorus of ‘no’s’ follows me as I trail after Toby.

I remove the hatchling off my shoulders and I hand him to his parent as I pass their tent.

“Do you know what Peter wants?”

“No. He just asked me to fetch you.”

“Alright. I better go see what he wants.”

I walk into Peter’s tent.

“You wanted to see me?”

“We must make preparations.”

“Preparations?”

“For our departure.”

The breath seizes in my lungs for a moment.

“Departure?”

“We are getting closer to the three year mark. We must be ready to evacuate. You know the humans will not be happy to see our ships. I am sure Christopher had brought soldiers. The MNU guards will not let us leave so easily, you know they watch our every move.”

“I am sure they have a plan of action in case Christopher comes back and declares war.”

“Which is why we must make sure everyone is ready to leave quickly. We must help everyone be prepared but be discrete. We don’t want to alert the humans.”

“Where do you want me to start?”

“With those living closer to the fence.”

*****************************

“The humans suspect something.”

I look at Daniel.

“What makes you say that?” I ask.

“They have brought more guards and there are more soldiers watching at night. They must have sensed our movements.”

“It’s too late to stop now. We must continue with the preparations.” Peter says.

“Everyone has been advised. All there is to do now is wait.” Toby says.

“I’ve helped everyone I could. It’s a good thing we don’t have much to pack.” I say.

“Then we must move our people in towards the center. I don’t want anyone to be left behind or get caught in the gun fire.” Daniel states.

“If we do that then the humans will know for certain that something is going to happen.” Alex says.

“I don’t think they know for sure that Christopher is coming back. They can probably just sense the anticipation and the tension in the air. They know something is going to happen but they don’t know what.” I tell them. “We have to be sneaky in moving everyone towards the center. If we move too quickly then the guards might come into the reservation. And we can’t have MNU invading District 10, it will be worse than before.”

“Wikus is right. We need to move out the Poleepkwan’s with hatchilings first then the older members of the hive and the more able bodied Poleepkwan’s at the end.” Peter says.

The others agree.

“There is only the problem of the living arrangements. There are over two million of us now and we do not live in the shacks anymore. The tents do not have enough space to accommodate more than two adult Poleepkwan’s.” Toby tells us.

“He’s right.” I say.

“We still aren’t sure of the when exactly Christopher is going to arrive. We cannot force our people to live in even worse situations.” Alex says.

“I am not saying that we move them all at once but time is not in our favor. We must move now in order to ensure that our people are ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. It is a risk but we must take it.”

Daniel was right.

We did not know when Christopher would arrive but we did know he was coming and the three year mark was almost upon us.

We had to be ready.

The next few days we made sure that our people understood the new plan and making sure that there would be enough room for all of us at the center of District 10.

Hopefully the guards wouldn’t notice that all the tents around the border were empty until too late.

We didn’t start moving Poleepkwan’s until the number of MNU guards was back to normal and we only moved our people at night.

We made sure that they were seen mingling near their tents during the day to draw off suspicion but during the night, the tents were empty.

It would take us three months at least to move all of our people to the center of the reservation but it kept us busy while we waited for Christopher to arrive.


	6. Chapter 6

Year 3

The first thing that penetrates my dreams is the sound of the engines.

I can see the ship that has been dormant for twenty years spring to life, the noise it makes shattering every window and every glass in sight.

As a child I had been afraid to see that massive ship looming in the sky, as an adult I had been afraid it would never leave. Now I was afraid it would never return.

I roll onto my side and pull the blanket higher over my head as I try to block the noise.

It was so loud and real.

“Wikus!”

I sit up with a gasp.

“The ships have arrived! We must go!”

“What?”

“We have to leave. NOW!”

The gun fire starts.

I leap to my feet, tripping over my blanket.

I grab my bag with my belongings before grabbing my blanket and following Peter out of my tent.

Heavily armed Poleepkwan’s move past us.

I look up and I see the three ships in the sky.

I stop.

“Wikus! Wikus, what are you doing?”

Peter grab’s my arm and pulls me along.

I can’t take my gaze off of the ships.

They’re really here.

Christopher had come back.

All of the Poleepkwan’s are running towards the shuttles, some of them are already making their way back up to the mother ships.

The gun fire is deafening as are the screams of the human soldiers.

“Wikus. Wikus, look!”

I fix my gaze in the direction Peter was pointing.

There was a Poleepkwan wearing a red vest standing by one of the shuttles.

Christopher.

I run faster than I’d ever run before.

“Christopher! Christopher!”

He turns to look in my direction.

I drop my belonging as I reach him and I throw my arms around him.

He grunts as our bodies collide.

Hot tears are running down my face and I had not been aware I could still cry.

Hands pat my back.

I pull back so that I can look at his face.

He looks back at me.

“It’s me. Wikus.”

His eyes widen.

“Wikus.”

He looks me over.

“I know. A bit of a change, eh?” I wipe my face. “It’s so fookin good to see you, man.”

“And you. I am glad you are well.”

I nod.

“We must get on the shuttle.”

I grab my things and I follow him into the shuttle.

I look around.

A few hatchlings grab onto me.

I pick up the littlest one.

“Why aren’t you with your dad?”

“He is helping the others.”

“I see. Well, why don’t we go sit down over there with my friend? Come on.”

I lead the hatchlings over to where Christopher had moved.

Peter is sitting with him.

I sit down beside Christopher, the hatchlings climbing all over to me.

“I see you still have a way with the young ones.” Chris says.

I look at him.

“What can I say? Kids like me.”

I make sure the kids are all seated and comfortable.

“How is Oliver?”

“He is well, anxious to see you again.”

“I can’t wait to see him either.”

“Does this mean you are coming back with me?”

“Where else would I go?”

“I told you we had a machine in the mother ship that could fix you.”

I look down at the hatchlings.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

I look at him.

“You’re not getting rid of me now.”

He touches my arm.

“Why would I?”

I press myself closer against him.

Soon the hatchlings are returned to their parents and we make our way to the mother ship.

It takes hours before we are ready to depart.

My heart was in my throat by the time the mother ship leaves earth’s atmosphere.

“You alright?”

I look at Christopher.

“Not really. I’m scared.”

“Do not be afraid, Wikus. We are going home.”

Home.

I nod.

The soldiers had divided themselves among the three ships.

I can hear them talking near the controls.

They were saying how easy and satisfying it had been to kill the MNU guards. 

Most of them would have liked the opportunity to bring down MNU and the people of Johannesburg. 

I wrap my arms around myself.

Christopher comes to lead me to the chambers I would be sharing with him.

I sit on the makeshift bed on the floor.

“Wikus?”

I look at Christopher.

He sits down next to me.

“Is it wrong that I am glad you didn’t bring war down upon the people of Johannesburg? They deserve to pay for what they’ve done to our people but…..Tania is still there.”

He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer.

“Wikus. We cannot expect you to forget about your human attachments.”

He touches my wedding ring with one finger.

“I’ll never see her again. It shouldn’t matter whether she’s dead or alive.”

“But it does.”

“Yes.”

“She was your mate. It is understandable.”

“Thank you for being so understanding. I don’t think I ever thanked you before, for helping me. And now you’ve kept your word and you’ve come back. I don’t deserve the kindness you’ve shown me.”

“You helped me get my son home.”

“I was the one who took the fuel in the first place.”

“You were just doing your job.”

I shake my head.

“I threatened to take Oliver away from you and there was nothing you could have done to stop me.”

“It was a good thing then that you became ill.”

My laughter sounded weird now.

“Yeah.”

“Get some rest, Wikus. Soon we will be home.”

I let him guide me down into the covers.

They were so soft.

I close my eyes.

**************************

I can hear the popping of the eggs.

“Like popcorn.” I say.

I can see myself smiling and laughing about it.

Anger rises in me and I wanted nothing more than to throw myself at him and make him see that soon he would a ‘prawn’, soon he would be one of the creature he despised so much.

I can hear Thomas asking me to just let him shoot Oliver.

I stare at Oliver, considering.

What was one less prawn?

Thomas raises his riffle and points it at Oliver.

I wake with a start.

“Wikus?”

I feel Christopher sit up from where he was lying behind me.

“I was just having a bad dream.”

“You’re trembling.”

He covers me with my blanket.

I close my eyes.

I would never be able to forgive myself for the things I had done, for the pain I had enjoyed inflicting on the Poleepkwan’s.

But it was a burden I must carry.

I had made my choices and now I had to live with them.

“I’m alright.”

He lies back down.

After a moment, I feel him put his arm around me.

I grab his hand and I pull him closer.

I can feel his breath against my gills.

I relax my body.

I was safe.

Christopher was with me and we were going home.

Soon we would be reunited with Oliver.

MNU couldn’t hurt me or our people anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sex ahead.

I walk around the ship and visit with the others while Christopher was busy making sure that the ship was running at full capacity.

He doesn’t show up for lunch so I eat with my friends and then I spend some time playing with the hatchlings.

A Poleepkwan I do not know comes to tell me Chris won’t be joining me for dinner so the rest of the day passes in a disappointing blur.

I join the others for dinner and I listen to them make conversation while I push the meat around my plate.

“Wikus?”

I look at Peter.

“Eat your dinner.”

“I’m not a fooking child.” I snap before deflating. “Sorry.”

He pats my hand.

“It’s fine. I understand but you have to eat.”

“Alright.”

I force myself to eat.

Peter and another physician aboard had given me a physical to ensure that I was healthy.

Turns out that I was mostly healthy. The results from the tests showed that I was malnourished.

So now Peter took it upon himself to make sure that I ate every meal and that I had my vitamin shots daily.

I push my plate away before standing.

“I’m tired. I’m going to go and rest.”

I bid them all good-night before walking to my room.

I curl under my blanket and I try to forge myself to sleep but I just end up tossing and turning.

Christopher still wasn’t back.

I sigh and stare at nothing.

I squirm, trying to get comfortable and a low throbbing sensation settles in my new groin area.

It wasn’t painful, it was just bothersome.

Most of the time I could ignore it but the more I moved, the more pleasurable it felt and the more it throbbed.

I roll onto my side.

I could feel the moisture gathering in my nether regions.

An image of Tania naked and wanting flashes across my eyes.

My heart speeds up.

I had the urge to touch myself.

I had never done so before but the urge was harder to ignore this time.

I roll onto my back and I debate whether or not to touch myself.

What if Christopher came back?

How would I explain it?

He would know what I had done.

I can smell my arousal in the air.

I slowly run one of my fingers down my chest towards my thigh.

I brush it against my groin and I shiver.

The door opens and I let my hand fall beside me.

Thank god I hadn’t taken off my ripped trousers.

Christopher comes in.

“Sorry I am late. Did I wake you?”

“No.”

He comes closer.

“I was….”

He stops, his antennas waving and I know he has caught a whiff of my arousal.

I pull the blanket tighter around myself.

He stares down at me.

I stare back.

“I apologize. I did not know….I will find somewhere else to sleep.”

I sit up.

“Don’t! I wasn’t….I’m sorry. I don’t know how to stop the urge to…..you don’t have to go.”

“It would be best if I do.”

“Why?”

“The scent of your arousal is hard to ignore. I would not want to pressure you into anything you are not ready for.”

“You won’t. Please Christopher, I want you to stay.”

He stands there for a long moment before coming closer.

I breathe a sigh of relief.

“It’s all these fookin hormones.” I say lying back down.

“I understand.”

He lies down beside me.

“Good night.” I say.

“Rest well.”

He rolls onto his side, his back to me and I lay on my back.

I felt hot but I didn’t want to take my blanket off.

I close my eyes.

The throbbing was still there as was the need to do something about it.

I try to lie very still.

I didn’t need to give Christopher the impression that I was getting off with him lying next to me.

I know he’s still awake.

Finally he rolls onto his back, his forearm touching mine.

“Wikus. Are you sure you would not like some privacy?”

“No. No. It’s fine. It’ll go away.”

“You can’t always ignore it.”

“I know. But I would rather not risk doing anything. Peter told me what to expect but I really don’t want to find out first hand. I knew how my equipment worked when I was human, I was born with that penis. But this is new and I just don’t want to.”

“If you are sure.”

“I am.”

He is silent for a moment.

“Have you thought of what you will do once we reach home?”

“No. I haven’t moved past meeting the leader. Your dad, I should say.”

“He will not harm you.”

“It’s what the others have told me but I’m not so sure. I worked for MNU for years and I did things, cruel and unnecessary things to impress my wife’s father. He would be within his rights to extract revenge for what the humans have done.”

“They are not your people anymore. We are your people and I will not let any harm come to you.” His hand closes around mine. “I promise. And I am sure that the rescued members of the hive will speak of what a great addition to our society you are.”

“Thank you.”

I twine my fingers with his.

I roll over to face him, making sure that our hands were still clasped together.

I close my eyes and his gentle breathing calms me.

I wake with a start.

The throbbing was more insistent now and my breathing was fast.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

I feel Christopher shift beside me.

His scent surrounds me and it was not helping my situation. I think it was making things worse.

The trousers I’m wearing are wet with my need.

“Wikus.”

I groan as delicious shivers zip up and down my spine as the fabric rubs against me.

I needed to touch myself and stop this torture.

His hand touches my chest and with the other he flicks on the lamp.

Low light fills the room and I look at him.

“Please.” I say grabbing his hand.

“I do not think-”

I move his hand lower between my legs and I moan.

“Wikus.”

“Say you will help me. I don’t want anyone else.”

“You are not in a clear state of mind to make this decision.”

“I am. I just need you to show me, I need you to help stop this feeling. Please. I can’t do it. I just can’t.”

“I would feel as if I were taking advantage of you.”

“You aren’t. I’m the one who’s asking you. If anything, I’m taking advantage of you.”

“Wikus.”

“Christopher.”

“Very well.”

I sag into the blankets with relief.

He helps me remove my trousers before he crawls in between my legs.

I shiver.

He leans over me.

I touch his face and he closes his eyes before bending down to touch his mouth tentacles with mine.

It’s a weird sensation kissing like this.

I touch his tentacles with mine before sucking on one gently.

Christopher makes a surprised noise.

He sucks on one of mine.

I sigh.

His antennas twine with mine and the throbbing is insistent now.

I squirm against him and he takes the hint.

He reaches down between us, the back of his hand bumping against my wet sex organ.

I moan.

His hands take hold of my hips and I open my legs wider.

His penis presses into me and the air rushes out of my lungs.

He slips all the way inside.

It hurt a bit but it felt really good.

He moves slowly, his penis rubbing against the walls of my female organ and I start shaking.

I move my hips in time with his thrusts and I cry out as the orgasm hits me.

He stills his movements.

“Wikus?”

“Oh fook. Just give me a moment.”

The urge was still there.

I try to catch my breath.

His secondary limbs touch mine.

I reach out my hands to hold onto his arms.

“Okay.”

He starts moving again.

Pleasure fills me and I wanted more.

“Faster.”

His movements pick up speed and I can’t help the noises I am making.

I come again and again.

Christopher’s breathing is labored.

“Come on. I want to know what it’s like.”

He closes his eyes and I feel him come inside of me.

His sperm has a numbing effect and I feel the throbbing need disappear.

I let my hands fall to my side.

Christopher pulls out and lies beside me.

I grab his hand and I turn my head to look at him.

“Thank you.”

He rolls onto his side to face me.

I press my mouth to his, our antennas touching instinctively.

“I’d never done that before.” He says.

“Never?”

“No.”

“But….you’ve never had a mate?”

“No.”

“What about Oliver?”

“The urge to have a hatchling overcame me and I had him.”

“Now I feel worse for forcing you to-”

“You didn’t force me. I wanted to share this with you.”

“Thank you for giving yourself to me.”

His hand touches my face.

“There is no one else I want.”

My eyes burn with tears.

I press in close to him.

He wraps his arms around me.


	8. Chapter 8

We have sex again in the morning before washing up and going to breakfast.

I felt like everyone knew what we had been up to.

Part of me was embarrassed but the other part of me was glad that everyone knew that Christopher was mine.

It was especially hard keeping my hands to myself.

It’s like the first time I had sex with Tania, knowing that she wanted me and would accept my caresses made me feel giddy and horny as hell.

It was the same with Christopher.

I had permission to touch him and kiss him when I wanted.

I wasn’t so sure I could control myself, even when we were not alone.

I press my thigh to his as we sit together.

Toby eyes us across the table.

I concentrate on eating.

“I have finished my report.” Toby says. “I am sure it will be no different from that of the others.”

“But just as invaluable.” Chris says.

“Have you made your report, Wikus?” Toby asks.

“I doubt the leader wants to hear what I think of the situation.”

“You’re wrong.” Chris tells me.

I look at him.

“The information you have on the matter is just as valuable. It will give my father an insight into the thoughts of the humans.”

“For what? It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“There must be a reason why the humans did the things they did.” Toby says.

“Oppression, power, fear. We’ve been doing it to each other for centuries.”

“Surely you wish the leader to think of humans as more than cruel creatures.” Toby insists.

“What MNU did to our people is unforgivable and I do not wish to recount the hand I had in demolishing the numbers of the Poleepkwan’s before the change happened to me. He already has enough reason to kill me without me adding more fuel to that fire.”

“Wikus.” Chris says.

I stand.

The food I had just eaten was sitting in my stomach like a lead ball.

“Excuse me.”

I know it was guilt and worry but I really didn’t want to defend the actions MNU and the people of Johannesburg took towards the Poleepkwan’s.

I make my way to the area designated for the hatchlings.

I sit and watch them play for a while.

They always had a way of cheering me up.

I know Toby wanted to give me lessons on Poleepkwan culture and customs but I didn’t feel like it today.

He would only ask me more about humans and I didn’t want to think about it.

Our conversation at lunch was more than enough.

I was defensive and touchy about the subject and I know I was projecting my anger at my actions and the decisions I had made when I was human.

Toby just wanted to understand the people he had been forced to live among for twenty three years.

But I just couldn’t reopen that chapter of my life.

It was too soon. 

I close my eyes and lean my head back against the wall.

I wish the change had made me forget who I was before.

It was hard to remember who I had been and exactly what I had done.

At first I was afraid I would forget and now I was afraid to remember.

I sigh.

“Wikus.”

I start and open my eyes.

Christopher looks down at me.

“You should rest if you are tired.”

“I’m fine.”

He sits down beside me and watches the hatchlings play.

“Oliver wanted to come. He was really upset that he had to stay behind.”

“It wasn’t safe for him to come.”

“I know. But try to make a child understand that.”

“He is strong willed. Just like you.” I say pressing my shoulder against his.

“He became attached to you very quickly.”

“I was his way to getting back home.”

Chris looks at me.

“My son has never formed an attachment to another adult and I taught him very early to mistrust the humans.”

“Then why?”

“You came to us for help and from the moment I let you stay, he trusted you. Even before I did.”

“He shouldn’t. I always seem to let down the people who care about me.”

He takes my hand in his.

“You haven’t let me down. In fact, you have proven yourself. You are strong and brave.”

“Right.”

“It is the truth. You have earned a place among our people. They do not think of you as the human from MNU. They think of you as Wikus, a Poleepkwan.”

I rest my head against his arm.

“I’m sorry for my temper earlier.”

“You have a right to your feelings. We forget that you are still dealing with what’s happened to you.”

“You are so understanding.”

“No. I just understand you.”

“Why?”

“Because I care for you.”

“I care for you too.”

I lift my head and give him a kiss.

“Wikus. There is still time. Do not believe that you must remain in this state in order for our people to accept you. Do not force yourself to look like one of us out of a sense of guilt or as self-punishment. I love you and that will not change.”

I close my eyes as his hand touches my face.

“I’m scared.”

“You do not have to be. I am here and I am not leaving you.” He presses his forehead to mine. “Think about it.”

I nod.

“Christopher?”

“Hmm.”

“I love you too.”

That night we make love.

It was slow and filled with an amount of pleasure I have never felt before.

We took the time to explore and learn each other’s bodies.

That night I slept better than any other night.

In the morning, I could not stop thinking of what Chris had said.

I could be human again.

This body was strange, even after three years.

I could have mine back.

I take the next few days to think about it.

This was a decision that would not only affect me but Oliver and Chris as well.

“You’ve been very quiet.”

I look at Peter.

“Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Chris said I could still be changed back.”

“That is true. Although the longer you remain in Poleepkwan form, the harder it will be to return your cellular structure to its original form.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that we might be able to return your physical appearance back to that of a human but we cannot guarantee that your cell structure, your DNA, will return to its original state. You do not have much time to think about it, Wikus. Pretty soon the change will become permanent and there will be nothing we can do to reverse it. My advice is that you decide quickly before the choice is taken from you.”

********************************

I roll over and look at Christopher.

He turns his head to look at me.

“You’ve decided.” He says.

“Yes.”

He takes hold of my hand.

“And you are sure of your decision?”

I nod.

He looks back up at the ceiling.

“Did you mean it when you said that your love for me wouldn’t change?”

“I did.”

I press my forehead to his arm.

I really hoped it was the truth.


	9. Chapter 9

“I’ve made my decision.”

“And?”

“How long will it take?”

“A few minutes.”

“Will it hurt?”

“It might.”

I shudder.

“I cannot risk giving you anything. It might not have any adverse affects on you as you are now but it might once you turn back.”

“I understand.”

“Do you remember the consequences I spoke to you about?”

“Yes.”

“And are you still sure that this is what you want to do?”

“The rest of it doesn’t matter as long as I can look like me again.”

“It is not that simple. There might be complications.”

“But you can change me back, can’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for?”

“Wikus.”

I look at Peter.

“This isn’t who I am supposed to be. This whole thing feels like a sham. Like I’m pretending to be something I’m not. I’ve tried to leave it all behind but I can’t. I am Wikus van der Merwe and I am human.”

“Very well.”

“Thank you.”

“Come, sit. I will take some blood now and after you’ve changed back.”

I sit down on the examination table.

“Surely you realize that you are Wikus van der Merwe no matter what body you are in.”

“I know that. I just want to be able to recognize myself again.”

“I understand.”

He takes the blood sample before looking at me.

“I will make the preparations. Stay here. I will come for you once we are ready.”

I nod.

He leaves the room.

I take a couple of deep breaths.

I stare at the grey walls.

The door opens and Chris walks in.

“Chris.”

“Peter told me.”

“I should have told you but I didn’t want to have to look you in the eye and tell you I didn’t want to look like this.”

He comes closer.

“It is your decision to make.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“Of course not.” He takes my hands in his. “I want you to be happy.”

“Will you still look at me the same way when I have five fingers and no mouth tentacles?”

He makes a few clicks that I know mean that he is laughing.

“Do you remember that day when you decided to stay behind so that my son and I could make it safely to the ship?”

“Yes.”

“That is when I knew that I loved you.” His hand touches my face. “Your face was dirty with blood and dirt and you had a look of determination on your face. Your eyes were bright with tears and fear. It is the image of you I kept with me on our journey home and it is the face I see every time I look at you.”

I close my eyes.

“You fookin romantic sod.”

He presses his forehead to mine.

“Wikus.”

I open my eyes.

I look over Chris’s shoulder at Peter.

“We’re ready.”

I nod at him before looking at Chris.

“I will wait for you here.”

“Okay.” I take off my necklace and I hand it to him. 

The ring shines brightly in the light.

“Will you hold this for me?”

He closes his hand around it.

“I will keep it safe until you return.”

I kiss him before following Peter to the other room.

I stare at the machine.

It looked like an MRI machine.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

I lie down on the gurney and Peter straps me down.

My heart was racing.

I swallow.

I hear him press a button and the gurney moves into the machine.

I take a few deep breaths.

“We will begin.”

“Okay. Alright.”

I close my eyes.

The machine whirls to life.

Perhaps I should have asked how many others they had treated the way they were about to treat me.

I can see the bright lights behind my closed eyelids.

A sudden pain hits me and I cry out.

I can feel the tears streaming down my face and my throat hurts from my screams but I can’t stop.

I felt like my skin was being peeled back from my body.

I try to break out of the restrains but I can’t.

“FOOK! Make it stop! Please!”

I fight the restrains.

Suddenly it feels like someone just covered my mouth and nose and I can’t breathe.

I try to call out to Peter but I have no air in my lungs.

My airways open and I take deep sobbing breaths.

I can smell blood, the copper tang filling my mouth.

I clench and unclench my hands.

An electrical shock goes through me and my body convulses.

The machine stops and I lay on the gurney choking and crying.

Everything hurts and my vision is blurry.

I feel the gurney move.

“Wikus?”

I am released from the restraints.

“Wikus?”

I lean over the gurney and I throw up.

*****************************

There is a finger running up and down the inside of my arm and it brings me back to consciousness.

“Will he be alright?”

“The machine took a toll on his body. He shouldn’t have reacted the way he did.”

“You did not answer my question.”

“He will recover. He will be weak the first few days but his body will mend. I have done a full body scan and he is….normal. Krihm, the reason Wikus had a bad reaction to the machine is because-”

I try to move and it wakes up the pain in my body.

I groan.

“Wikus.”

The hand touches my head.

I blink my eyes open.

Chris’s worried face swims into view.

“Why is everything blurry?”

I can’t even recognize my own voice.

It was more of a croak than actual speech.

“Here.”

Chris lifts my head as he holds a cup to my mouth.

I swallow the cool liquid.

“Thank you.”

I close my eyes.

“Wikus, how do you feel?”

“Everything hurts.”

“Unfortunately I cannot give you anything for the pain.”

“Then knock me back out.”

“There are a few things we need to discuss.”

I open my eyes to look at Peter.

Still blurry.

I rub my eyes, my hair touching my knuckles.

I needed a haircut.

Wait.

Hair.

I had hair.

I sit up and black spots dance across my vision.

The nausea comes back with a vengeance.

“I’m going to be sick.”

Peter holds a metal bowl under my chin as I throw up.

My insides hurt.

“You need to take it easy. Your body has been through a lot these past few hours.”

I lie back as the nausea passes.

I look at my hands.

“I’m human again.”

“In appearance, yes.”

I look at Peter.

“What does that mean?”

“Do you remember those consequences we talked about?”

“You already asked me that.”

“Wikus. The machine changed your physical appearance but your cellular structures remained somewhere between human and Poleepkwan.”

“What do you mean?”

He looks at Chris before looking back at me.

“The way your body reacted to the machine was unexpected but understandable.”

“Understandable?”

“Yes. I must admit that I have been remiss both as your friend and as your doctor.”

“But it worked. I’m me again.”

“Technically, yes. But some internal organs have been altered due to your condition.”

“Condition?”

“You asked me once if you would feel the urge to have an egg. Do you remember?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You have been intimate with Christopher.”

“Yes.”

“That urge you felt to mate, that was your body’s way of saying that it was ready to produce and fertilize an egg.”

“Why am I getting a bad feeling about where this conversation is going?”

“When you went into the machine, you were already pregnant. In the transformation back to your human form, your body accommodated for the presence of the fertilized egg and it created a womb.”

“I’m fookin pregnant!? How the fook….I’m a man. Men don’t have babies.”

“As I said, your body has been altered. Your genetic makeup is also a combination of both human and Poleepkwan, the way it was when you first started to change into one of us. Though you look human, our technology will recognize you as Poleepkwan.”

“And the baby? Will it look human or Poleepkwan?”

“It is too early to tell. All we can do now is wait until it has matured enough.”

I press shaky hands to my eyes.

Fookin pregnant. With an alien baby.

“Shit.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sex ahead.

I look at Christopher.

He carefully places the necklace over my head.

The ring settles against my chest.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

He looks at me.

“About what?”

“What the fook do you mean ‘about what’?” I say sitting up. “I’m pregnant! With your baby!”

“Wikus.”

“Did you not understand Peter when he said it?”

“It is our child and please calm yourself.”

“I can’t calm myself, Chris! I’m scared that our child might look half human, half Poleepkwan. And just how in the hell am I supposed to have it?”

“The physicians will figure it out. All you have to do is remain calm and grow a healthy child in your womb.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Wikus.”

He cards his fingers through my hair and I find myself relaxing into his touch.

He pushes me back and I lie down.

“Why aren’t you freaking out over this?”

“Because I am having a child with you.”

I look at him.

“Fook you, Chris. It’s not fair how easily you make me feel better.”

I can tell he’s amused.

He presses his forehead against mine.

“How do you feel?”

“Better. My vision isn’t blurry anymore and I don’t feel nauseated.”

“Good. Peter said that in a few days you feel like yourself again.”

“A pregnant version of myself you mean.”

He places a hand on my lower abdomen.

I place my hand over his.

“So. On the upside, at least your father can’t kill me on sight.”

“My father isn’t going to kill you, Wikus.”

“I know but I’m saying that he definitely can’t now.”

***************************

I wince as I lower myself down onto the blankets.

I was still a bit sore and Peter didn’t have any medication that he could give me.

I would just have to wait for the soreness in my muscles to pass on its own.

Christopher helps me get comfortable before covering me with my blanket.

“It’s a good thing I had a pair of slacks and a shirt that I hadn’t used. Walking around the ship naked is the last thing I want to do.” 

Chris lies down beside me.

I relax my body.

“How long until we get home?”

“A few months.”

“Good. I want to be able to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on my skin.”

He runs a hand gently down the inside of my arm.

I shiver.

“You will.”

He kisses the inside of my wrist before gently running his mouth to the inside of my elbow.

I think Chris was turned on by the feel of my skin.

He caressed me with his hands but he preferred to feel it with his mouth.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a creepy thing.

His hand caresses my thigh.

My hormone levels seemed to be just as high now as before I got pregnant so every touch from Chris turned me on and the bastard knew it.

“Don’t you fookin start something.” I say brushing his hand off of me.

He presses his face to my neck, his tentacles tickling me.

Oh fook, even the tickling was turning me on.

He runs his hands up my stomach under my shirt.

I press closer without meaning to.

He carefully caresses my skin with his hands.

I close my eyes.

He undoes my trousers and lowers them slowly down my legs.

“Don’t keep me in suspense, man.”

He places his mouth on the inside of my right thigh.

I jump at the feel of it.

“Alright?” He asks.

“Yeah. You just caught me off guard.”

He puts his mouth back before moving it up towards my hip.

I clench my hands into the blankets to stop myself from pressing my crotch up in his face.

His mouth moves up towards my belly button before moving down to caress the inside of my left thigh.

“Fook.”

He was teasing me on purpose.

“Your skin is so soft and it feels…..” He licks from my thigh all the way up to my balls.

I moan.

“Come on, man. Just put it in me.”

“I want to taste you first.”

“Fook.” I can feel my balls tighten and I have to take a moment to get myself under control. “You can’t say things like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s going to make me come all over your face before you even make a move to suck me off or fook me.”

His mouth touches the underside of my scrotum and I moan loudly.

He wraps a hand around my cock and continues to mouth my balls.

I open my legs wider.

I lose it the moment I feel his moist tentacles graze over my asshole.

I come with a shout.

I lie there trembling and he cleans me up with his mouth.

I clench my eyes closed.

“Tell me what position is best for you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

I look at him.

We didn’t have any lubricant and I did not produce my own like I had when I had been Poleepkwan.

I just hoped Chris’s self-lubricating sexual organs would be enough to take the sting off of anal penetration.

“Here.”

I kick off my trousers and I remove my shirt before positioning myself on my hands and knees.

His penis was not as large as a typical human penis but I knew it would still hurt.

“Just go slowly, yeah?”

He doesn’t answer and I’m about to turn my head to look at him when I feel his tentacles touch my anus.

I gasp.

He runs his tongue tentatively over my asshole and I’m hard again.

I lower my head and I press my forehead against the blankets.

“Fook, Christopher.”

I can’t stop gasping at the rasp of his tongue and the touch of his tentacles.

“I’m going to come again soon. Just put it in me, man. How many times do I have to ask?”

His mouth leaves me and I feel the press of his penis.

I unclench my muscles and I try to relax to allow him to enter me.

He pre-ejaculates on my anus and I know he’s doing it so that the area will become numb and it won’t hurt me as much.

He makes a surprised noise as he slowly pushes into me.

I groan at the feel of his penis penetrating me.

It was a strange sensation.

I’ve had him in me before but it didn’t feel like this.

I can feel the hardness of his exoskeleton press against my bum once he’s fully sheathed inside of me.

He gives me a moment to adjust before he slowly starts moving in and out of me.

I slide my knees further apart and as he pushes back into me, his penis touches my prostate.

I moan.

He catches on very quickly and he makes sure to hit that spot with every stroke.

“Harder.” I moan.

My penis was leaking already.

It would take only a few pulls for me to come again.

I move my hand to touch myself.

“No.” He says.

“I’m so close.”

He pounds harder and faster into me.

I orgasm harder than I ever have before and black spots dance in front of my vision.

My body is shaking and I can barely even hold myself up with my arms.

I feel Chris find his own release inside of me, his semen flooding the inside of my anus.

A cool balm spreads over my abused hole.

I can barely feel him pull out of me.

He guides me to lie on my side.

I catch my breath.

His hand caresses my side.

I turn on my back to look at him.

He kisses me.

I pull him closer.

“I love you.” I say pressing a kiss to his neck just above his gills.

“I love you.”


	11. Chapter 11

I close my eyes as the fresh air hits my face.

The sun warms my body.

Chris is a solid presence at my back and he moves me aside so that the others can leave the shuttle.

I stand there, probably looking like a nutter, with my face towards the sky and my arms stretched up above my head.

“Sweetie man!”

I open my eyes.

Oliver dodges the crown and he lunges himself at me.

I catch him.

His clicks are loud and fast in my ear.

My eyes burn with tears as I press him against my chest.

He wraps his arms tight around my neck and his legs wind around my waist.

“I’ve missed you so much.” I say pressing a kiss to the side of his head.

“Come.” Chris says.

He places a hand on the small of my back and he leads me away from the shuttles.

I wipe my tears with the back of my hand before putting it back against Oliver’s back.

A Poleepkwan with a dark green exoskeleton stands before us and we stop.

I stare at him.

He was taller than Chris and his eyes looked yellow in the sun.

“Wikus, this is my father Ch’Korir and the leader of our hive.”

My mouth dries up.

Ch’Korir studies me.

I open my mouth before closing it.

It’s not like he could understand me anyways. Best not to say anything.

“My son has told me about you and your kind. You are….strange looking.”

Kinder phrase than ‘ugly’.

He reaches out and his clawed finger touches my hair before sliding down my neck.

I stand very still.

“How your kind managed to suppress my people is fascinating. There is nothing remarkable about you. You are soft and weak.” The point of his claw presses against the base of my throat. “It would be very easy indeed to kill you.”

“No!” Oliver says becoming agitated.

“It’s okay.” I say kissing the side of the kids head.

“Father.” Chris says.

Ch’Korir glances at Chris before looking back at me.

He drops his hand and steps back.

“You are tired from your journey. Khrim will show you where you can rest. I will expect you for the evening meal.”

He turns and walks away, a contingency of armed guards follow him.

I look at Chris.

“I thought you said he didn’t want to kill me?”

“Come. I will show you to our living quarters.”

“Okay.”

I look around the city.

It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

A huge mountain looms in front of us and we follow the herd of Poleepkwan’s making their way towards it.

The farther we get from the landing bay, the more rural the city became.

There are some weird looking animals grazing in the tall grass and I can see bird like creatures flying overhead.

A cool breeze waves away some of the heat from the sun.

I sigh.

Oliver stirs in my arms.

His hands touch my hair and I look at him.

He touches my face.

“You look like you again.”

“I do.”

“But we’re still the same aren’t we?”

“We are.”

“Perhaps I should carry him. I do not want you putting too much strain on your body.” Chris says.

“I’m fine.”

“Wikus.”

“Chris. I’m fine, really. Besides, he’s not that heavy and I just want to hold him for a little longer. I haven’t seen him in years.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” Oliver says.

“I am too. Your planet is very beautiful.”

“There are seven moons.” He says.

“Really? I suppose we’ll have to watch them rise tonight then won’t we?”

“Yes.”

We follow the pathway into the mountain.

“You’re going to live with us, aren’t you?” Oliver asks.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Good.”

I stare up at the dwellings that were carved into the mountain.

There is a circular stairway that goes around the whole mountain, higher and higher and leading to the homes.

I try to see the very top but it seems endless.

The path we followed into the mountain continues on directly ahead of us towards a massive set of stone doors.

“That is where the leader lives.” Chris tells me.

“Wow.”

Chris leads me up the stairs.

Our home is on the fourth floor.

Chris’s neighbors come out to greet him and to stare at me.

I introduce myself even though they don’t understand me.

I set Oliver down as we enter the home.

There is a sitting area that leads to the dining room.

Chris points out the pantry before leading me towards the back of the home where the rooms are located.

The beds are on the floor, the same as they had been on this ship except these have a soft cushion under the blankets.

Oliver has his own room but he’s used to sleeping beside Chris so it might be a while before he’s ready to be on his own.

I lie down and Oliver settles in beside me.

I pull him closer against my chest and he relaxes.

Chris stares down at us.

“Come lie down.” I say.

“No. I must speak with my father about tonight’s meal. I will make sure there are things you can eat.”

“Alright.”

******************************

“Do you think I should even try to say anything? Your dad can’t even understand me. How am I supposed to try and explain myself?”

“You don’t have to explain anything.”

The guards open the doors and allow us in.

They stare at me and I nod and smile.

“Hi. Hello.”

“Wikus.”

I look at Chris.

“Don’t worry about anything. I will take care of my father.”

“You can’t always protect me. I have to answer for myself alright?”

“Fine.”

Oliver runs on ahead.

Ch’Korir is waiting for us at the entrance to the dining room.

I watch Ch’Korir greet his son and grandson warmly.

Then he sets his gaze on me and his demeanor becomes a tad colder.

“Human.”

“Wikus.” I say pointing at myself. “Hello.”

“He knows what your name is.” Chris says.

Ch’Korir takes a step closer and Chris presses himself against my side.

“I’ve been informed that I have been remiss in manners.” He says glancing at Chris. 

“Oh. No, it’s alright.”

“It is not alright.” Chris says.

Ch’Korir cocks his head.

“I am ignorant of your language at the moment but it will not always be so. Since it seems that you are to remain among our people then it will be in my interest to learn your language. For now, my son can translate.”

I incline my head.

He extends his hand.

“Please. Come, sit down.”

Chris leads me to the table and I sit beside him.

Oliver sits next to his grandfather.

Chris points out the foods I can have while Ch’Korir serves Oliver.

“I am told you worked for the company that enslaved my people.”

“Father.”

I put my hand on Chris’s arm.

“Yes. Yes, I did.” I say.

Ch’Korir nods.

“How did you meet my son?”

“I was tasked with evicting the Poleepkwan members from District 9. That’s what we called the territory occupied by the hive members.”

“And what was your impression of my people?”

“I….”

“You know our language therefore you were ‘educated’ on my people. I am curious to know what you thought of them, of us.”

I look Ch’Korir in the eyes.

“We considered your people pests, they were uninvited and we wanted to be rid of them. We called them derogatory names and there were many who took pleasure in inflicting pain upon them. Humans used the Poleepkwans, for experiments and as a source of alien weaponry.”

“You say ‘we’ but I still do not know your impression of my people.”

“I liked having power over your people. I convinced myself that the Poleepkwans were mindless creatures who didn’t deserve common courtesy. I aborted eggs and I am responsible for the death of many members of this hive. I chose to inflict suffering and pain upon your people. Had I not transformed into a Poleepkwan myself, I am sure that you never would have seen your son again. You never would have known you had a grandchild and all of your people would have died on that planet.”

He slams his fist down on the table and I jump.

My heart is beating rapidly.

He stands.

“How can I trust you? How do I know that you no longer harbor hate for my people? That you are not using my son?”

“I deserved what happened to me and I would have lived out the rest of my days as a Poleepkwan but your people had suffered enough at the hands of the humans and I was going to do what I could to help them. Your son showed me compassion and friendship when I didn’t deserve it. Your grandson trusted me without even knowing me and the members of the hive saved me when they could have let me die. I am here because I love your son, because I think of your grandson as my own hatchling. I am here because I owe my life to your people.”

He doesn’t say anything for a long moment.

“Sir. My people did unimaginable things to your people without provocation. I understand if you can never find it in yourself to like me. I just hope that you understand that I am sincere in my feelings towards your son.”

“They are not your people.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are Poleepkwan now. The members of the hive who knew you at your worst have offered you their protection. They have fully accepted you and integrated you into our society. Besides, you are my son’s mate. I will not allow any harm to come to you. As for my feelings towards the humans, it would be unfair of me to blame you for everything they did.”

My eyes sting with tears.

“Thank you. You do not know what your acceptance means to me.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for your comments and kudos.

Four Months Later

I bend down to pick up the toy Oliver had left under the table and a sharp pain hits me.

I wince and I lower myself down onto the floor.

I try sitting but the pain is bad so I lie down on my side.

The pain moves from my lower back to my stomach.

I groan.

“Fook.”

I clench my hands and try to breathe through the pain.

“Wikus? I came to see if you could try these new crops I’ve….are you alright?”

“Alex. I need you to find Peter.”

He comes to my side.

“What is wrong?”

“I think it’s the baby. Just go find Peter and bring him here.”

“Alright.”

He rushes out.

My muscles spasm.

I cry out as the pain sharpens.

I squeeze my eyes closed and I concentrate on breathing in and out.

A hand touches my forehead and I open my eyes.

Ch’Korir is crouching down beside me.

“I am going to lift you.” He says.

“Okay.”

He picks me up and carries me to the bed.

The soft mattress was better against my back but the contractions did not stop nor did the pain fully go away.

“I have sent word to my son.”

I nod.

“I will bring you water.”

I grab his arm before he can move away.

“NO! Don’t leave me alone. I’m begging you. Please.”

He places his hand over mine.

“It is alright. I am here.”

I try to relax against the soft blankets.

Ch’Korir keeps me company and it seems like hours before Peter arrives.

“How long did it fookin have to take you to get here, man?” I demand.

“Alright. Just calm down.”

He places his hand against my swollen stomach.

“The hatchling has matured.” He says.

“I could have told you that.”

“I must remove it.”

“Remove it? How?”

“I will make an incision into your-”

“An operation? How long is that going to take you? Is it safe?”

“Wikus!”

Chris hurries to my side.

He places a hand over my belly and I grab his hand.

“It’s alright. Our kid is just ready to come out.”

“I can smell your fear and your pain.” He tells me before looking at Peter. “What are you waiting for?”

“I must get the things I need. It’s too late to move him.”

“Wait. You’re going to do it right here? It’s not sterile, man.”

“It will take me a few minutes to make the preparations.” Peter says ignoring me.

Chris nods and Peter leaves.

“But-”

“Wikus.” Chris tells me. “You have to trust that he knows what he is doing. He would not put your life or our child’s in unnecessary danger.”

“Okay.”

“I will see that Korim is safe and occupied.” Ch’Korir says standing.

“Thank you.” I tell him.

He inclines his head before leaving the room.

Chris kisses my forehead and I close my eyes.

“It’s really happening.”

“Soon we will meet our child.”

Chris tries to coach me as best as he can through the contractions but the pain really seems to be getting a whole lot worse.

“I don’t know how much I can take.” I say taking deep sobbing breaths.

Chris wipes my face with a wet cloth.

“Just hold on a little more.”

Peter and his assistant come back.

Peter barks out instructions and I am moved onto the table which has been covered.

“Wikus. I cannot give you anything for the pain but I will numb the area.”

“Just do it now.”

“Very well. We will begin.”

I stare up at the ceiling.

Chris tightens his hand in mine.

“Tell me if you can feel this.” Peter says.

I can feel some pressure but there is no pain.

“No.” I say. “I can’t feel it.”

“Good.”

I can hear him talking with his assistant but I try to drown out their voices.

I stare at Chris’s face.

He is looking at what is happening and I can see the concern on his face.

I kiss his hand and he looks at me.

“I am removing the child.” Peter says.

I close my eyes.

The wailing cry of the infant surrounds me and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I wipe my tears away before opening my eyes.

Peter holds up the human child for me to see before handing it over to Chris.

Chris holds the child carefully.

“I have sutured the incision. We will move you now while the area is still numb.”

I am carried back into the bedroom.

I lay back against the pillow Chris had made for me.

“I want you to take care of yourself. Don’t overdo it. I will leave some of the numbing agent for Christopher to rub around the wound. But that does not mean you should be out of this bed for long periods of time.”

“I understand. Thank you, Peter.”

He pats my hand.

“Congratulations.”

Chris comes in with the baby and Peter takes his leave.

Chris sits down beside me and he hands me the baby.

It’s a boy.

Oliver had called it.

“Grab the blanket.” I tell him.

Chris grabs the blanket Oliver had made for his brother.

I look down at the child.

He stares up at me.

His features did not entirely look human. He had human flesh and hair but his eyes were large like that of a Poleepkwan.

His limbs were long and I knew he would grow as tall as his father.

I smile down at him.

Chris hands me the blanket and I wrap our son in it.

“Father! Sweetie!”

“We are in here.” Chris says.

Oliver rushes into the room, Ch’Korir right behind him.

“I heard something had happened but grandfather said it was fine and I couldn’t come home for a while. I was afraid something bad had happened.” Oliver says climbing over Chris to snuggle into my side.

“It’s alright. We’re all fine now. Do you want to meet your brother?”

Oliver stares down at the infant.

“Is he alive?”

“Of course he’s alive.”

“Why isn’t he moving?”

“He’s just tired.”

“Why?”

“Because he had to push a lot to let me know he was ready to come out.”

“Oh.”

Oliver touches the baby’s hair.

“Congratulations on your new hatchling.” Ch’Korir says.

I nod at Chris.

He takes the baby and hands it to Ch’Korir.

“We have decided to name him Korir.” Chris says.

“A fine name for this healthy hatchling.”

I watch Chris and his father bend over our child.

Oliver snuggles down against my side again and I pull him closer before closing my eyes.

***************************

I watch my boys run around chasing each other.

We were going to the landing dock to give Chris a surprise visit.

I heft the basket with our food higher with one hand while keeping my weapon ready with my other hand.

Chris had insisted that I carry a weapon when we were out in the open like this.

There were predatory animals here and most of the time they hid in the tall grass.

I had two children and they would be attracted by the noise.

“Don’t run off too far ahead.” I call.

The boys stop where they are and wait for me to catch up.

Korir was only eight months old but he was already able to walk, run and talk.

He was almost as tall as Oliver had been when I met him.

Peter said it had to do with his Poleepkwan DNA.

It allowed him to grow the same as any other hatchling.

“Dad. Dad. Do you think we’ll be able to see any flying ships?” Korir asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Even if we don’t, Father will let us go into the shuttle.” Oliver tells him.

“I can’t wait!”

I smile at them.

They walk a bit ahead of me talking excitedly.

When we get to the landing bay, I direct them towards Chris’s work station.

The kids run ahead to surprise their Father.

I watch as they jump on Chris.

Chris catches them and holds them close.

He kisses their heads before lifting his gaze and finding mine.

My heart starts beating faster the way it always did when he gave me his full attention.

I walk over and kiss him.

“The kids wanted to come and see you work.”

“Can we go into the shuttle?” Korir asks.

“How about we eat first and then we see the shuttle?” I say.

The kids agree.

I spread out the blanket and we sit and eat.

Afterwards I watch Chris lead the kids around and show them the shuttle.

It’s so strange how a stupid accident led me to such a wonderful life.

I touch my old wedding ring.

My life with Tania had been almost like a fairytale. It had been too good to be true.

My life with Christopher and the kids was surprising and as close to perfect as life could be.

And there was nothing the universe could offer to make me give it up.

 

The End.


End file.
